METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MONITORING AND ANALYZING ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN OPERATED CHEMICAL PLANTS

• US 20100168930A1
• Filed: 12/15/2009
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covestro Deutschland AG
• Original Assignee: Bayer Materialscience AG (Covestro AG)
• Inventors: Küver, Andreas, Kahnis, Henning, Bischof, Eric, Eickmans, Johannes, Parg, Roland, CONRAD, Annette, Jupke, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 8,554,381 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/291
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0243 model based detection method, e.g. first-principles knowledge model
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0294 Optimizing process, e.g. process efficiency, product quality
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/82 Energy audits or management systems therefor

Abstract

The present disclosure refers to a computer-implemented method for monitoring and analyzing energy consumption of at least one operated chemical plant, the method comprising determining a plant type specific theoretical energy consumption optimum value based on a corresponding modeled plant, identifying and grouping parameters contributing to an increased energy consumption of the plant due to processes running on the plant, due to internal characteristics of the plant, due to operating conditions of the plant, respectively, providing, such as partly automatically retrieving energy contribution rates of the respective parameters, and periodically graphing the energy consumption of the at least one plant via a bar graph starting from the theoretical energy consumption optimum value and getting up as an energy cascade to a current energy consumption of the at least one plant by adding the provided, partly retrieved single energy consumption rates of the respective parameters in groups such that the resulting energy cascade allows to monitor at least a part of the individual parameters and to automatically compare the current energy consumption of the at least one plant with an energy consumption of another plant and/or with a previous energy consumption of the at least one plant with respect to the individual parameters. Furthermore, an appropriate system is provided.

Claims

1. Computer-implemented method for monitoring and analyzing energy consumption of a chemical plant in operation, the method comprising

determining a plant-type specific theoretical energy consumption optimum value for the plant, based on a comparative corresponding model plant,

identifying and grouping parameters contributing to increased energy consumption of the plant i) resulting from processes performed in the plant, ii) resulting from internal characteristics of the plant, and iii) resulting from operating conditions of the plant respectively,

providing energy contribution rates for each parameter, partly by an automatic, and whenever required, periodic retrieval, further providing by means of an implemented algorithm a transformation of measured and grouped data into efficiency data, and

periodically graphing the energy consumption of the plant via a bar graph starting from the plant type specific theoretical energy consumption optimum value (TEO) and arriving at a current energy consumption value (CEC) of the plant by adding the provided single energy consumption rates of the respective parameters in groups, thus forming an energy cascade which allows to monitor at least a part of the individual parameters and to compare the current energy consumption of the plant with an energy consumption of another plant and/or with a previous energy consumption of the plant with respect to the individual parameters.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the energy consumption of the plant is normalized using the plant type specific theoretical energy consumption optimum value (TEO), thereby providing for a plant type independent comparison of the energy consumption of the plant with an energy consumption of another plant with respect to the individual parameters.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the steps of determining the plant type specific theoretical energy consumption optimum value based on a corresponding model plant, and on identifying and grouping the parameters, are designed for standardization.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the model plant produces a specific product in an idealized way exempt from further influencing factors such as location infrastructure and economies of scale.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the parameters due to operating conditions of the plant are classified in static parameters and dynamic parameters.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the step of periodically graphing the energy consumption of the plant via a bar graph starting from the theoretical energy consumption optimum value (TEO) and arriving at a current energy consumption (CEC) of the plant by adding the retrieved single rates of the respective parameters in groups including a periodically repeated re-graphing of the rates of the dynamic parameters associated with the operating conditions of the plant.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of computing for of the parameters of the energy cascade a best demonstrated mode, for demonstrating an expected proportion of the respective energy contribution rate of at least one parameter.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the best demonstrated mode is derived from a history of the energy contribution rates of the parameter measured over the course of a pre-defined time period wherein a pre-given percentage of the lowest of those energy consumption rates is used for determining the best demonstrated mode.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the energy contribution rates of the at least one parameter are continuously monitored and controlled on the basis of the best demonstrated mode.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the best demonstrated mode is used to build a predictive model of a pattern of behavior of the respective at least one parameter over time.

11. The method according to any one of claims 7, wherein the best demonstrated mode is continually refined in response to new measurements of the energy contribution rates of the at least one parameter.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein the best demonstrated mode is used to build a temporary model of the current behavior of the at least one parameter.

13. The method according to claim 1 wherein the operating conditions contributing to an increased energy consumption one or more of operation of the plant at partial load, down time of the plant, product mix processed by the plant.

14. The method according to claim 7, wherein an alert is triggered when the energy consumption rate of the parameter is detected to deviate unexpectedly from the best demonstrated mode.

15. A computer-program product tangibly embodied in an information carrier, the computer-program product comprising instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform the method to monitor and analyze energy consumption of plant according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

16. An energy management system comprising:

a modeling means configured to determine, based on a model plant, a plant type specific theoretical energy consumption optimum value;

an analyzing means configured to identify and group parameters contributing to an increased energy consumption of the plant i) resulting from processes running on the plant, ii) resulting from internal characteristics of the plant, iii) resulting from operating conditions of the plant, respectively;

a provisioning means configured to provide energy contribution rates of the respective parameter, the provisioning means comprising a retrieval means configured for automatic and whenever required periodic retrieval of energy contribution rates of at least a part of the respective parameters, and

a monitor and control means configured for periodically graphing the energy consumption of the plant via a bar graph starting from the theoretical energy consumption optimum value and arriving at a current energy consumption of the plant by adding the provided single energy consumption rates of the respective parameters in groups, thus forming an energy cascade which allows to monitor at least a part of the individual parameters and to compare the current energy consumption of the plant with an energy consumption of another plant and/or with a previous energy consumption of the plant with respect to the individual parameters.